The Carnival
by borgprincess
Summary: Janeway and Chakotay and the Voyager crew celebrate Naomi's birthday. But do not be fooled, this is all an elaborate plot to get the command team together, so if JC romance and sweet, sappy storylines aren't for you, don't venture here...


Author's Note: I know Naomi is fairly mature despite her tender years by the time Seven's on board. Still, she's more of a little kid here.

The Carnival 

"Come," answered Janeway in response to the door chime. She heard the hiss of the doors opening and then, a few seconds later, that hiss again as they closed. Spending a few more seconds to give the report a final glance before she signed her approval, she looked up.

"Captain?" came the hesitant request to speak from the crew's youngest member, and a warm smile passed over the woman's face, leaving sparkling eyes and a half smile of amusement.

"At ease," she told the child, noting the rigid posture that would win accolades from Academy instructors, and the serious expression with eyes looking straightforward, barely blinking. "What can I do for you, Naomi?" Janeway adopted a casual tone.

"Well, you see, Captain, it's my birthday soon and since we're in what my mom calls a 'quiet region of space', meaning, I think, that means there aren't any bad people around," Naomi sidetracked for a moment before continuing, "we're going to have a party."

"Yes, I know." Janeway gave Naomi an inquiring look.

"Will you be coming? Anyone who wants to can, and I'd really like heaps of people to be there to make it fun. Though Tom said something like 'fat chance' of Lieutenant Tuvok coming; he'd rather be assimilated by the Borg than come and have fun." Naomi looked innocently puzzled. "I wonder what he meant. No one would want to be assimilated-"

Janeway arched a brow at that titbit. It sounded exactly like their favourite, rash and big mouthed helmsman.

"Anyway, we're going to have a really great time…" Naomi pleaded.

"Of course I'll come." Janeway was already calculating exactly how long she'd have to stay before leaving the crew to have fun on their own. She didn't feel like attending a party and it wasn't mandatory but she usually devoted between fifteen minutes to half an hour to most of the normal functions. However, as this was Naomi's birthday celebration, there wasn't even the question of her attendance; but would she have to make a longer appearance than usual to mark the occasion? Janeway sighed. It wasn't that she didn't want to come, but as captain…then she realized Naomi was speaking again.

"…stay for all of it? We can go on all the rides together," the girl's tone was hopeful, and too late, Janeway realised she had already started nodding in agreement to Naomi's request. However, the child's face lit up in such a delighted expression, she didn't feel she could take the words back and deflate Naomi's happiness. However…

"Rides?" she repeated in confusion, and watched Naomi's eyes widen in horror over that slip.

"Oh, no! I wasn't meant to say that! Only mom, Tom, Harry and I are meant to know!"

"Tom and Harry." Janeway shook her head. Of course those two were involved. In fact, they were probably the reason Naomi was here!

Naomi misconstrued her Captain's words and shake of the head as disapproval over her familiarity with Tom and Harry during a shift. Or her brain came up with something similar to that, and so she squeaked out, "I meant Lieutenant Paris and Ensign Kim!" The Captain looked mystified and studied Naomi intently. Somehow she intuited Naomi's thought processes and her face softened.

"That wasn't what I meant, Naomi." Janeway saw that the girl still looked disconsolate over the entire conversation. "Look at me." Naomi, of course, complied. "I appreciate your invitation very much and don't worry, it will still be a surprise; I have no idea what Tom's latest piece of mischief is." She affected a worried look. "That's not very reassuring; should I have Tuvok look into it, do you think?"

Naomi giggled when she understood the Captain teasing her, and Naomi may have been young, but she realised her Captain was attempting to cheer her up. On an impulse, she rushed forward and threw her arms around the startled Janeway.

"You know," she confided in the woman with a child's natural bashfulness. "You're the best captain ever!

The 'best captain ever' had to laugh at this fervent compliment. "Why, thank you, Naomi!" Janeway smiled, pleased. "By the way, Naomi?" Janeway wasn't so sure about this move but she went on. "Being Captain, everyone calls you by your title and not your name. Do you think you could do me a favour and call me Kathryn when I'm off duty?"

Naomi looked like she couldn't handle any more shocks. "That's- cool," she used a word she'd picked up from Tom. "But…" she trailed off.

Janeway was already regretting her impulsive action. "But?" she prompted the girl.

"Just Kathryn sounds, I don't know," Naomi looked confused. "Can I call you Aunty Kathryn?" she asked.

Hearing that sent a wave of happiness and, perversely, one of sadness as well through Janeway. "Sure," she said.

"Captain?" Naomi asked, perceptive in the way children can be at times. Taking the initiative, she climbed into Janeway's lap and looked directly into the woman's eyes. "Or is this an 'Aunty Kathryn' moment?"

Janeway couldn't lie to the girl. This moment was far too important for her to lie. "Well, you know we all miss the Alpha Quadrant sometimes," Naomi nodded. "I have a sister, Phoebe. I sometimes wonder if I'm an aunt, if she's married, with children," she looked wistful. "Phoebe was always so scatterbrained and young, it's hard to imagine her all grown up with a family of her own. And yet…" Janeway sighed, troubled by these thoughts, especially as she was on duty, although this shift had taken a turn for the strange a few sentences back.

"Do you every want to have children?"

Just as she thought it couldn't become any stranger, the conversation developed yet another twist. "Yes, Naomi," Janeway answered softly, after a few minutes of silence as she considered the question. "Even here in the Delta Quadrant, with all its dangers, and all the reasons that I shouldn't, I would still love to have a child of my own. Maybe a boy, or perhaps," Janeway snapped out of her reverie and smiled brightly at Naomi to cover her emotional reaction to the thought of having children, "I could have a little girl like you," she hugged Naomi, relishing the feel of hugging the child. Janeway, normally a tactile person, had over the years started to withdraw the frequent touches she had dispensed to the crew, and it was surprising how good it felt for a change to be close to someone, to just to hug Naomi. There were a few minutes of peace and then the doors opened and then a tall, Indian looking man with an unusual tattoo on his face walked in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Chakotay, the First Officer on Voyager, raised an eyebrow at the unusual sight that met his eyes. "Just brought this to you," he waved a PADD and set it down on the table. "I think Tom is looking for you, Naomi," he said to the girl. There was a ghost of a grin on Janeway's mouth as her suspicions, regarding whether Naomi had come to see her on her own or had had outside motivation, were confirmed.

An excited expression appeared on Naomi's face as she replied, "Thank you, Commander!" She began to run to the door and then slowed her pace, walking sedately. Once there, though, she turned back and said with a smile, "Don't forget your promise!"

"I won't," Janeway assured her. The doors hissed shut, and she remarked to the tall Indian at her side, "Isn't it amazing how something you _say_ becomes a solemn promise to a child?" Amusement lurked in Chakotay's eyes. "What is it?" she asked him.

"Oh, nothing," but a small, mysterious smile appeared on the corners of his mouth. Janeway immediately stood up and planted her hands on her hips, staring up at him through narrowed eyes and, through the special connection they once shared and she now revived, dared him to defy her.

Chakotay laughed, bringing his dimples into play. "No, really, nothing much, I just thought you and Naomi looked very comfortable together, just then."

"Oh, that," Janeway said casually, the defences she kept now firmly in place as she retreated behind them. "She was just here to formally invite me to her birthday party." A shrug.

"Yes," Chakotay nodded, and steered away from that topic. "Do you know what the theme is?" he asked.

"Naomi mentioned something about 'rides' and since Tom's involved, it's probably something to do with the 20th century. She was upset about revealing _that_." Janeway shook her head.

"I see. Well, I suppose we'll find out tomorrow," Chakotay said neutrally. "Captain," he nodded, and then left.

Janeway was left to think about the conversation she'd just had with Naomi, and all the emotional responses that had been provoked. It was most curious- she quickly stopped that line of thought and turned to the next report. She groaned as she saw that the author was Seven of Nine…

----------------------------

A few days later, just as Kathryn had finished changing, the door chimed. "Come," Kathryn called, and in came Naomi.

Kathryn concealed a wry smile. Naomi was certainly precocious but she most likely hadn't come to fetch the Captain under her own steam. Kathryn detected tampering and she had a sneaking suspicion of who it was- a certain chief helmsman, for example.

"I thought I'd take you to the holodeck personally," Naomi said beaming at her. "If that's all right," she added, less certainly.

"I'm honoured," Kathryn assured her. "Is this ensemble suitable for whatever you and the others cooked up?"

Naomi took in the jeans and loose white shirt with approval. "It's okay. You look," she paused to stare thoughtfully at this new side of the Captain. "Different."

"Good different or bad different?" Kathryn teased.

"Oh, good different, of course!" Naomi looked shocked. "Are you ready to go now?"

"Sure."

As they made their way to the holodeck, Kathryn good-naturedly persisted in trying to find out what the program was, with no success. Naomi wasn't telling.

"You know I can't say, Aunty Kathryn!" she said. Kathryn raised an eyebrow menacingly.

"Can't say? Or _won't_ say…"

Naomi took a step back, faking a scared look. "You might change my mind for me!"

The woman laughed. It felt good to be in casual dress and silly for once. She wasn't even at the party yet and she was already unwinding!

When they reached the holodeck, she casually looked at the readout but the title was innocuous/

"Paris program Theta C-1?" she muttered, and saw Naomi stifling a giggle at her side. "Well, fine then," Kathryn said to her, pretending to be huffy about it. "Since I can't find out what it is from here I guess I better go in then!" she sniffed and walked towards the doors.

A blast of sound hit her. Most of the crew were already there, but she wasn't looking at them. It was a bright sunny day in the holodeck, and she finally realised what Naomi was saying when she slipped and mentioned something about 'rides'.

Kathryn stood there and marvelled at the detail and care that had gone into it. This was much better than anything she'd seen before. Gigantic wheels spun ponderously, horses attached to a spinning carousel leaped up and down and she could hear shrieks from people in the faster ones, such as the revolving _teacups_, of all things, big enough for four people to sit in, and resting on a constantly spinning floor, adding to the dizzying effect.

"My goodness," she marvelled. Noticing Tom lurking nearby, she gave him a mocking look, understanding he had been waiting for her.

"Like the program, Captain?" he asked innocently, blue eyes mischievous. But there was a carefully concealed look of anxiety on his face on his face and Kathryn could tell her opinion meant a lot to him.

Kathryn looked around again, deliberately stretching the moment. She took the chance to admire his program all over again before glancing back at him, and her face softened when she did look at him.

"You've outdone yourself, Tom," she told him sincerely. "Everyone looks like they're having a ball- good work!"

The helmsman's face relaxed at her words of praise and set in a decidedly impish smile. "Wait til you eat the candy floss!"

"Floss?" Kathryn echoed.

"You'll just have to try it, won't you!" he said smugly.

Kathryn was about to send him a watered down death glare, after all, she wasn't really annoyed with him and using it too much _might_ conceivably lessen its effects, but then a small hand tugged insistently on her arm.

"Come on, Aunty Kathryn!" Naomi pleaded. "Come and see everything!"

Tom mouthed 'Kathryn' questioningly at her, and she could tell he was pleased that she was finally becoming less formal. In fact…

"Feel free to address me by my first name," she told him, affecting a lofty manner to conceal a little nervousness at this. For so long, she'd been simply Captain to everyone- except Chakotay, but she didn't feel like examining his motives at this moment- and this move to lower the barriers that she'd put in place with the crew, well…to be honest, it scared her.

Tom nodded and, bless him, decided not to question her about it. Instead, he looked over her, which wasn't too difficult, considering her size, at the entrance and made the excuse of having more crewmembers to welcome. She nodded and smiled.

"See you around, Kathryn," he said easily as he left.

Well!

"Everything, Naomi?" she turned her attention back to the girl beside her. "Well, then, why don't we start?"

They left the clichéd House of Comedy, cracking up at its humorous parody of the equally clichéd House of Horror.

"Did you see that ghost?" Naomi screeched, necessary at the present level of noise. "I jumped so high when it just leapt out at us!"

"Yes!" Kathryn said. "_That _was certainly amusing!"

Naomi recovered herself. "Wanna get some fairy floss?" she said, smiling up beseechingly at Kathryn. "You can try some!" Kathryn agreed, and adult and child made their way to one of the numerous booths.

She smiled indulgently as they passed a group of crewmembers who'd evidently decided that rather than consuming it, it would be much more fun to have a popcorn fight. Naomi called out to Seven, who was watching the proceedings dubiously.

Kathryn admired her former Borg protégée. The Doctor had declared that the cat suit, which had been necessary for medical purposes, to heal the drone and protect her in the transition to full, or nearly full, human state, leaving her vulnerable to various illnesses, was now no longer needed.

Seven had adapted, as she had announced belligerently she would to Kathryn some years before, and, as with everything else, had done it well. Her friends, either a benefit or despite of the social lessons the Doctor had given her, had helped out with choosing a new wardrobe and she looked stunning in the simple honey coloured dress which just skimmed her knees that she wore. The sunglasses perched on her head added to the casually chic look. Seven had protested the frivolous need for such accessories, but on this point, Samantha Wildman and the other women had remained firm- no outfit was complete without these little flourishes and she _did_ want to get the look right, didn't she? With much wheedling, coaxing and appeals to her perfectionist nature, they managed to do pretty much what they pleased with her appearance- to great effect.

"Hi, Seven!" Naomi said, on her way to fetch some candy floss. "Having fun?"

"That is debateable, Naomi," Seven had rid herself of the habit of calling the young girl 'Naomi Wildman', much to the girl's delight. The former drone returned to watching the progress of the popcorn fight.

"Why don't you join them, Seven?" Kathryn suggested, and Seven looked at her curiously.

"What purpose would that serve, Kathryn?"

Seven had also started calling the older woman by her first name during off duty hours, since she had observed this custom with other crewmembers. Kathryn hadn't been able to explain exactly why she had wanted to be called simply 'Captain' to Seven's satisfaction, and so she had shrugged and let Seven do as she chose. Now Kathryn was glad that she hadn't convinced Seven to call her by her title. Trying to change Seven's mind once it had been made up was simply too tiring.

"You might actually enjoy yourself?" Kathryn suggested.

Seven raised an eyebrow, a trait she had inherited from Kathryn and Tuvok, one that she once actually proclaimed efficient in conveying several different sentiments in a minimum amount of time.

"From flinging items intended for consumption at people supposed to be one's comrades?"

"Fun is something that is not logical or relevant, really," Kathryn told her. "It can be something completely ridiculous, however, engaging in it with a friend can be beneficial for the friendship, as it represents a common bond or link between them and you."

Seven gave it some thought. "For instance, Harry and Tom?" she asked.

"What exactly do you mean, Seven?" Kathryn always found conversations with her interesting and what Seven had to say was always startlingly deep and thought-provoking, giving Kathryn something to consider late at night.

"Tom's exploits often result in punishment, and Harry is often penalized as well. It would be reasonable to assume that Harry would terminate the association, however he continues to assist Tom's scheme, despite knowing the probable result. Is this to strengthen the bond between them, by conspiring together, accepting the rewards and suffering the punishments together? For a sense of connection?"

Kathryn was once again delighted at the young woman's insight.

"That's it exactly, Seven," she smiled at her. "Though engaging in a food fight won't result in being sentenced to scrub the plasma manifolds with a toothbrush!"

"Interesting." Seven contemplated the still raging fight which showed no signs of abating and nodded at Kathryn, and at Naomi who was coming back, holding a stick with enormous proportions of fluffy pink candy floss. "I will- enjoy myself now."

Naomi looked at Seven, who brushed by her to the stall. "What's with her?" the girl asked.

"Wait and see," Kathryn said, watching in interest as Seven lined up a row of soda cans and shook each vigorously. After judging them shaken enough, she seemed to calculate something before tilting the first at an angle she had mentally determined and paused to check the positions of the as yet unaware crewmembers.

Kathryn had already deduced what Seven was about to do. She quickly contacted the Doctor.

"Sickbay," he answered. "What is the emergency?" his tone was brusque, though Kathryn could detect a note of concern. In his years in the Delta Quadrant, the Doctor, a hologram, had grown too, in ways his creator had never thought possible.

"There's no emergency, however, why aren't you here?" she asked him. "You're always at _me_ to relax. Physician, heal thyself!"

"I assume you didn't call me for the pleasure of my company," the Doctor said acerbically.

"I'm afraid I'm booked for the day, but what I said is still valid. I want you down here immediately, and with your camera," Kathryn put on her 'Captain Janeway' voice, the one that demanded immediate compliance.

The Doctor recognized it and sighed exaggeratedly, before doing as she said.

"Yes, Captain?" he asked sarcastically when he transmitted his program to the holodeck. "What is your pleasure?"

"You have to get that on camera," she indicated the scene playing out before them with her chin. "I want this on your presentation this year!"

Seven cracked the first can open.

The unfortunate crewmembers caught in the vicious spray halted, mid-fight, looking down in disbelief at their soaking clothes. Seven had a hint of a smile on her pretty features as she systematically doused the crewmembers with all the cans she had previously collected.

"I believe I am experiencing a sense of joy, Kathryn," she called to her captain, who was trying to contain her laughter in vain. Oh, the looks on their faces were priceless. And the Doctor was professionally capturing this moment for posterity.

"Oh, Seven!" squealed Naomi suddenly.

Distracted, the former Borg had failed to notice the vengeful crewmembers grabbing tufts of rainbow coloured candy floss. She turned in the direction that Naomi was looking- to receive a handful of the wiry, sugary fluff in the face. More was rubbed into her hair.

"Seven, I said that you wouldn't be sentenced to scrubbing manifolds," Kathryn said, her voice choked with laughter. "I didn't mention that you'd most likely be punished by your fellow crewmembers!"

"What's going on?" a deep voice came from directly behind Kathryn.

"Oh, Chakotay," Kathryn turned, still laughing, to see her handsome First Officer. "Just look at poor Seven!" Seven's hair completed its transition from blond to pink.

"Poor Seven?" Chakotay echoed. "Look at that!"

They watched with even more interest as Seven maneuvered the others into a trap, spraying them with the contents of the 'slushy machine'. Stadi, Rollins and the others were now covered with ice cream from head to toe. Kathryn and Naomi practically collapsed with laughter at the former Borg's ingenuity.

"TiKathryn?" Naomi charmingly abbreviated 'Aunty Kathryn'. "My face hurts now, from all that laughing!" she said ruefully.

Kathryn, who had just been rubbing her own face in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort and hopefully straighten it back to a calm, composed expression, shared hammed up woebegone looks with the child.

"Me too!"

Feeling slightly giddy from the day's events, Kathryn was glad of Chakotay's presence beside her and leaned on him, disregarding for once, the voice that questioned whether her behaviour with her First Officer was appropriate or not.

Just then, Samantha Wildman came up, her face the picture of distress.

"Oh, Captain, I'm so sorry!" she said quickly to her Captain.

"It's 'Kathryn', mommy!" Naomi corrected her mother. Samantha looked at the older woman in comical horror.

"She's correct. If I may call you 'Sam', I think it would be appropriate that you do the same for me," Kathryn said, thinking about the woman's distress.

Was this how much she affected the crew? She had better clean up her act, Kathryn thought concerned. Crews must have a certain respect for senior officers, and they demonstrated that for Chakotay and Tom and the others, but Sam seemed to actually fear remonstration for such a trivial statement from her daughter!

"I apologise, Captain, I thought she was with Neelix," Sam went on.

"It's Kathryn off duty," she reminded the distraught woman. "And it's quite all right, Sam, Naomi wasn't an inconvenience at all," Kathryn did her best to reassure her. "In fact, I've had a wonderful time with her so far."

She saw that Sam had just realised how much she'd overreacted and was worrying about what the Captain was thinking. _What is a woman to say?_ Kathryn thought helplessly.

Kathryn said, thinking quickly, "But I probably shouldn't be monopolizing your daughter," she smiled charmingly at Sam. Hopefully that would give the message that she understood, or at least, wasn't offended by Sam. "We can do this again some other time, if that's all right with you, Naomi?"

"That'd be great, TiKathryn!" Naomi bubbled and then, handing the candyfloss to her 'aunt', she grabbed her mom's hands and pulled her away, talking a mile a minute about this 'really cool ride' that her mom just had to try.

"Do I really terrify them that much?" Kathryn asked rhetorically, but Chakotay answered anyway, in a serious tone.

"No, but you just surprise them when you come down from your ivory tower. You seem to take that surprise for discomfort or even resentment, but perhaps you should leave that tower of yours more often," he said to her. "I know they'd love that." He figured she'd probably revert to Captain Janeway mode at that comment, but she surprised him by thinking about what he'd said and agreeing!

"I suppose you're right," Kathryn mused. "I'll have to give it some consideration…" then she gave the towering, shaky candy floss a flat stare. "However, in the short term, what am I going to do with this?"

"Eat it, perhaps?" Chakotay suggested.

She gave him a pleading look. "I'll get sick," she said.

"So…share it with someone."

"You volunteering?"

"Me?" he eloquently showed his distaste by twisting his face at her.

Kathryn made a show of looking around them. "Well, I only just started dismantling the wall blocking the exit of my 'ivory tower', as you put it. Nobody else would feel comfortable sharing this with me."

"Then in answer to your question, yes, I suppose I am volunteering," Chakotay said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Enough with the hyperbole," Kathryn ordered. "Now, eat!"

He reached over and pulled a chunk of the candy, grimacing a little at its sugary sweetness. "The things I do for you, woman!"

Kathryn raised her eyebrows at that comment. "Do you want a personal demonstration of what those crewmembers did to Seven?" she asked.

"_So,_ Kathryn, do you- uh, want to go see what, um, amusements those stalls over there hold for us?" Chakotay grinned as he pretended to be struck with terror. She sighed and whacked him on the arm.

"Incorrigible, Chakotay," she told him. "That's what you are." A look of concern set on her face as she looked up…up…and still up at a very tall pole with a hoop and net attached at the top. "Chakotay, I don't think this was built with anyone my size in mind."

"Don't worry, I'll defend your honour," he said, catching the basketball from the hologram, a blond, blue eyed man reminiscent of Tom. Chakotay threw it three times, and thrice did the ball swish neatly through the hoop, barely touching its net.

"Good shots, mate," the hologram complimented him. "Here's your prize."

"It's for the lady," Chakotay said with a meaningful nod over his shoulder at Kathryn. He took the large stuffed platypus with a big, goofy smile on it from the hologram and handed it over to Kathryn.

The hologram smirked at Kathryn knowingly before addressing Chakotay. "I think I see what you mean, mate."

Kathryn punched Chakotay on the arm, receiving a wounded look from him. "I didn't say anything!" he protested.

"Men!" Kathryn rolled her eyes, and stalked over to the next display.

"You throw six hoops over one of those numbers," the man in charge of it explained. "You get all six on one number, you win the prize that goes with each number." He shoved a paper with the numbers and corresponding prizes on it, but Kathryn shook her head, picking a number at random.

"I'll leave this to chance," she smiled at him, and threw the six hoops in rapid succession, not even seeming to aim at all.

All six landed on the number four.

"I've never seen anyone get all six on the first shot, lady," the hologram said in amazement and then rummaged under the counter. "Here's your prize," he handed her a colourful party bag, bulging with what seemed to be another stuffed toy.

Kathryn peeked inside. "Well, this is interesting," she said and looked up at Chakotay with a grin. "For you," she passed it on to him.

"What is it?" Chakotay, too, looked inside.

Kathryn burst out laughing again as he pulled out a large teddy bear. "I always did think you were a bear person!" she told him, feeling inexplicably happy at something so small. This was such a good day!

Chakotay was shaking his head. "What do you know?" he asked, amused. "Well, why don't we move on?"

Next up was a shooting gallery. Kathryn looked at him amusedly. "You really want to go up against me?" she taunted him. Chakotay merely grinned and started walking for it.

They each selected their choice of weapons and studied the moving targets.

"Stakes?" Chakotay asked.

Kathryn looked at the rest of her candyfloss. "Loser gets to finish this off," she suggested. "First to three?" Chakotay nodded. "You can go first," she said generously.

"Right. That fox there on the third row."

"You sure you can make it? Maybe you should try something a little closer," Kathryn said.

He looked affronted and tried for it anyway. "Hah! Missed!"

Kathryn looked over the targets and picked one at the last row, concentrating and firing. "Got it," she said smugly.

Chakotay managed to get the next one, an elephant on the second row.

"Okay, the last row again, third from the left," she called and looked through her sights, aiming carefully and then fired- but a bump from Chakotay sent it wide, almost hitting the hologram. "Chakotay!" she glared but he was looking at the targets innocently. "Cheat!" she accused him, elbowing him hard in the ribs.

"Me? Never," Chakotay protested as he aimed his own gallery gun.

Kathryn leant up daringly to blow in his ear, and Chakotay's shot went through the roof.

"Don't do that unless you mean business," Chakotay grumbled.

"This is serious business. I was just evening the odds," Kathryn grinned.

"That wasn't the kind of business I meant." Chakotay looked at her and winked, leaving her wondering at his words and tone as he took another shot. "Next time you blow in my ear, make sure we're somewhere private," he tossed over his shoulder.

"In your dreams," Kathryn said sniffing, and nudged him to throw off his next shot.

The battle escalated from there. He tickled her. She stepped on his foot, smiling sweetly all the while. He retaliated. She got him back. Neither won at any more games.

"Well, seeing as how you're so determined to cheat," Chakotay said.

"Just me?" Kathryn raised an eyebrow.

"All's fair in love and war," he reminded her.

Love and war…Kathryn shook off those words and the uneasy feeling that accompanied them.

"Why don't we try the roller coasters?" Chakotay suggested, and, more to get her mind off the antics she and Chakotay had been engaging in, Kathryn nodded, having observed but never been on a roller coaster before…

A short while later, she was screaming and clawing Chakotay.

"Why did I listen to you!" she practically screeched.

"Because you know what an honourable, trustworthy person I am, and how I always act for your good?" he tried.

"You lunatic!" she fully grabbed onto him as their car turned upside down, still travelling at breakneck speeds. "How is this acting for my good!"

Kathryn groaned, half laughing as she and Chakotay stumbled away from the 'Nautilus Peril'. "Didn't the name arouse your suspicions at all?" Chakotay scolded her mockingly. "You brought it on yourself; it's really your own fault!"

"I choose the next ride, thank you very much!" Kathryn tried to keep up her annoyed façade but, as with every other time that day, she started laughing. "My face is going to crumble to bits if this keeps up!" she struggled to get out.

"Along with my eardrums, I should think," Chakotay added dryly, referring to her screams on the roller coaster. "For goodness sake, Kathryn!"

"You didn't have to sit next to me," she told him. "You brought it on yourself; _it's really your own fault_!" she smirked at him while she quoted his words back at him.

He rolled his eyes and asked, "So, where next?" Then he noticed her attention had been attracted elsewhere, and he followed the direction her eyes were looking with trepidation. That really had been the most evil look on her face he'd ever seen.

"Bumper cars," Kathryn announced with relish and made a beeline for it. Chakotay groaned as he followed behind.

When they'd gotten into the cars, he tried unobtrusively to sneak away, bashing into a few other crewmembers on the way, but Kathryn was having none of it! Everyone there smiled at the playful mood of their command team and backed away.

"Cowards," Chakotay accused them. He spotted B'Elanna. "B'Ella?"

"Oh no," she smirked at him. "I have enough on my plate," she nodded at Tom with a wicked look on her face. "And I'm sure you deserve it!"

There was a loud crash as Kathryn took the opportunity to run into Chakotay's car while he was distracted.

"That wasn't very fair of you," he said, trying to distract her.

"Whoever said this was fair?" Kathryn asked, accelerating straight at him and he hastily redirected his attention to escaping her. There was another loud crash as their cars once again collided. His head snapped back on impact. When he looked at her again, there was a murderous glint in his eyes and he lowered his voice to a dramatic whisper.

"That's it, you're gonna regret that!"

"Why don't you put your car where your mouth is?" Kathryn taunted him. "If it's anything like your luck with shuttles though…"

The two cars raced at each other, intent looks on both their faces as they ran into each other again, and again, and again. Kathryn's car skidded and she laughed as it spun wildly.

Then another car hit her.

Chakotay and Kathryn looked at the occupant of the other car.

"Tom," they said in unison. Exchanging significant looks, they both started pursuing him. It started out as Kathryn vs. Chakotay. Then the two of them vs. Tom. But then B'Elanna joined in, as well as Harry and the two had three attackers to contend with.

"It would not be honourable to allow my commanding officers to be subjected to such aggressive actions," Tuvok was the voice of reason. "Therefore, it is only logical that I join you against your attackers," and with that, Tuvok too entered the fight.

After that, of course, it degenerated into a free for all, and everybody against everyone else. Everyone involved was so intent on running into every possible person that Kathryn and Chakotay were able to leave without anyone noticing. Then, as they left, they saw the Doctor.

"It seems I'm going to have a fascinating slideshow this year," he said smugly, patting the camera with loving hands.

"I'm sure it will be, Doctor," Kathryn smiled at him, and she and Chakotay started to leave.

"By the way, Captain," the Doctor called after them.

"Kathryn, Doctor, it's Kathryn off-duty. I do understand the meaning of the word, believe it or not."

She could tell that touched him. "Kathryn, then," he said beaming at her. "Would you and the Commander mind posing?"

The two exchanged glances and shrugged. Chakotay put an arm around her shoulders and she turned, nestling against his side, putting her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"I'm getting this urge to try and squish you like a bug," she admitted while the Doctor fussed with his position and the lighting and the angle of the camera.

"I wouldn't advise you to try," he said.

"Why not?"

"I don't squish well," he said gravely, looking down at her out of the bottom of his eye. The absurd comment as well as the sly look and the circumstances resulted in yet another laughing fit on Kathryn's part, which drew Chakotay to laugh helplessly along with her.

The Doctor snapped the shot.

"Perfect," he said as he checked it, not without a certain amount of satisfaction and pride. He started to say something to the two in front of him but stopped short at the sight that met his eyes. "Well, well, well," he murmured, starting to walk away. Then he stopped to take one last shot. After all, there should be a memento of the Captain and Commander's first kiss…

Kathryn and Chakotay knew that they were in a public place, and they knew that anyone who cared to could see them, and they also knew that the Doctor _had _seen them. But at that moment, they didn't really care. Their entire universe consisted only of each other.

She wasn't sure who had made the first move. They had been posing for the Doctor, and then…and then it seemed a foregone conclusion that they would move closer to each other and touch their lips together in a gentle first kiss, that was both everything and even more than what either Kathryn or Chakotay had ever imagined.

Chakotay reluctantly stopped himself from delicately probing the inviting depths of Kathryn's mouth and broke off the tender kiss, moving to nuzzle her soft cheek.

"What now?" he managed to get himself together enough to say. Kathryn felt so small and vulnerable and infinitely precious in his arms as she was. If she decided to back away again… but no, she wasn't retreating, in fact, she was moving closer as though she never wanted to let go of this moment. And now she was whispering something.

"I think we should move this to my quarters, don't you?" her amused eyes met his, showing him the intensity of her love for him. He smiled, allowing all the love he felt for this beloved woman to surge to the forefront, allowing himself to revel in it, after long years of hiding it.

"I agree," and his words of confirmation, his look of profound love and his body against hers made Kathryn shake with emotion, tears coming to her eyes unbidden. At last, her uncertainties and fears had been stripped away, the last of her barriers having fallen without even realising it and her love for this patient, incredible man accepted by the both of them. What a truly amazing day it had been- and what a wonderful night it was sure to be…


End file.
